Shades Of Gray
by Karasu no Kage
Summary: Slash. In reality there is no right and wrong, only the shades of gray and those too blind to see them. Who will control the most destructive power in the universe: light, dark, ...or the shades of gray? Either way, would it be right? Revised & Complete.
1. Premonitions -- 1

This story IS yaoi or slash or a male/male relationship (however you put it). And, while this story is in Alexandra's point of view (a made up character – this is NOT a Mary Sue) it WILL be a Harry/Draco pairing.

I BARELY read Harry Potter fanfiction and if I do it's all H/D, and I haven't come across a plot similar to this one as of yet. But there are TONS of stories about HP out there, and if this is similar to ANY of those I SWEAR I didn't steal it and I'm VERY sorry. Also, I'm American, so… slang and stuff will be American… because you guys will think I'm a freak if I use Japanese… Uh… *Watches people staring at her like she's a freak.* SEE! I was right! … Sorry.

Shades Of Gray

By: princessofplanets

Rating: PG-13

Parts: 1/9 

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Harry stared out the window, not really listening to two of his friends babble. "Stop thinking that way," his third friend commented, a solemn golden haired girl whose ocean blue eyes were intense. Alexandra continued, "I know your thinking about him, but his death wasn't your fault, Harry." She was silent. "If blame could be placed on anyone it would be me," she said scornfully. "I managed to keep Cedric alive for an extra thirty minutes; I wish I had enough power to keep him alive for life. If it's anyone's fault it's mine."

"Don't use a double standard!" the raven-haired fifteen-year-old protested. His emerald eyes flashed, and Alexandra couldn't keep her eyes from wandering up to his lightening shaped scar. The girl smiled slightly.

"Don't worry," she assured him. "I don't."

"Talking about Cedric?" Hermione, a girl with bushy brown hair and brown eyes, inquired gently.

Alexandra heaved a sigh. "Yes. We're keeping ourselves from depression and self guilt."

"How many times do we have to tell you that Cedric's death wasn't your fault?" Ron asked exasperatedly. He sighed, getting lost in his own memory. "You guys did all you could. NO ONE blames you."

Without warning the door to the train slammed open. A slender teenager with silvery blonde hair and unique silver eyes stepped in. "Malfoy!" Ron hissed in anger. Alexandra nodded politely to the group's declared worst enemy.

"Go away, Malfoy," Harry said listlessly, staring out at the passing landscape once again. Alexandra frowned again in worry, glancing at her friend before shooting a quick look up at Draco again. She caught him looking longingly at the raven-haired boy. She stood carefully, brushing off her skirt as she started to escort the silver-eyed classmate out the door. She followed him, closing the door softly behind her.

"It's nice to see you again, Draco," Alexandra commented, smiling at her friend. "How was your summer?"

"Normal," the fifteen-year-old replied glumly. "Disappointed Father, was beaten… You?"

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked with concern.

"I'll be fine. At least he hasn't given me the Dark Mark yet, though I'll bet you anything that'll be coming soon." He sighed. "Damn it, Alex, I asked you a question! How are you taking Diggory's death?"

"Fine, I suppose, comparatively." She glanced back toward the train compartment her friends were in, worry etched across her features. "I won't lie to you, Draco, he's really bad. Harry's still acting like it's his fault, even though I think he knows there was nothing he could've done. You know…" Alexandra hesitated here, glancing at the young man before her before continuing in a low voice, "It might help him, knowing that he has someone who loves him supporting him…."

"Alex…" Draco sighed again. "You KNOW I can't… We don't even know whether or not he's gay!"

"I think if he goes that way at all he'd be bi," the blonde stated frankly, pushing a strand of her golden hair back across her shoulder. "And I personally think he is."

"How would you know that?" Draco grumbled slightly, glancing up and down the empty corridor. Noticing where they were for the first time, he dragged her into an empty compartment. Alexandra tapped her temple.

"I'm a psychic, remember? I can sense things about people – even if I'm not looking for it, unfortunately. Besides, he's never had a girlfriend OR a boyfriend… it's almost like he can't make up his mind, don't you think?"

"Neither has Ron or Hermione – or you, for that matter!"

"Ron and Hermione are crazy over each other, even if they haven't admitted it yet," Alexandra explained. "And as for me, well…" She bit her lip. How could she tell one of her best friends they were in love with the same person? "I'm saving myself for someone special," she said softly.

"Alex, I just don't want to get my hopes up just to be disappointed," Draco whispered. "There's a reason I put up a cold front."

"How do you think ***I *** feel?" Alexandra asked softly. "I'm not even HUMAN, Draco! I'm just some creation from a cauldron of the most evil person on the planet!" Tears sparkled in her blue eyes before she blinked them away furiously. She started again in a low tone, her composure regained. "Look, I'll talk to you after dinner, when we get to Hogwarts, okay? Everyone has to be worried that I haven't come back yet, and I still have to change into my robes."

Draco's intense silver eyes bore into her, but she ignored them. The blonde left the compartment, heading toward the one she was usually in. As she slid open the door, she was assaulted with questions.

"What took you so long?"

"Yeah, was Malfoy being a pain in the butt?"

"Malfoy was being Malfoy," Alexandra said quickly, careful to use her friend's last name. _He WAS being his normal self,_ she thought defensively, trying to push down the guilt raising in her throat. _Just… Not what they know his normal self to be._ "Come on, guys, we should get into our robes. We'll be getting to Hogwarts soon." She looked away from Harry and Ron's gaze as they left the room to find an empty compartment to change in after they dug their robes out of their trunks.

"Alex, WHAT was that about?" Hermione asked with concern. Her friend was staring as if frozen at the door. The blonde shook her head lightly.

She smiled at her friend, pulling her robe on over her head and pulling off her muggle clothes from underneath them. "Sorry," she murmured. She shoved her clothes into her trunk and sat back, relaxing against the seat. She took Harry's spot and stared out the window.

* * * DREAM * * *

__

The overwhelming premonitions of danger attached to the trophy. Teleporting immediately to Harry's side, just in time to grab his sleeve as the Portkey yanked them to dangers unknown.

* Run. Breathe. * _Heh… heh… heh…_ _Dodge between the gravestones, holding your breath when they exploded under the force of the Avada Kedavra spell. Leave Cedric's dead body, only to feel another's used to shove her to the ground. Tears running down her face and blurring her vision._

* "We've got to split up!" * _Harry's voice yelled in her head. He shoved her in one direction before taking off in the other. _* "And don't you DARE come with me, Alex!" *

* NO! * _her mind screamed. Taking no heed to it she ran in the direction she had been pushed, collapsing as power swept over the area and engulfed her body in chaos like that of a tsunami. Alex struggled to ride the waves of the energy as bright flashes of light indicated a battle occurring._

* Harry… * _The realization that her best friend was the one fighting those battles hit her hard. _* "No… Harry, NO!" * _A vision struck her, slowing her down as she saw her friend raising into the air… with Voldemort, her creator… Spells from their wands clashing, melding together…._ * What would happen if I broke that web? *

__

She could see it clearly in her mind, beautiful, shining golden threads connecting the two wands and creating the binding dome. But when she reached the spot the battle was taking place the dome had disappeared, though there was several shadowy, ghostly figures surrounding Voldemort and hid Death Eaters. The victims disappeared a moment later, and Voldemort aimed at Harry, who was struggling to drag Cedric's body to the Portkey. Before her eyes he called it – * "Accio!" *_- and just as he reached out to catch it she latched her hand to his sleeve and Voldemort's scream of fury echoed in their minds as they were hurled back to Hogwarts._

* **

__

Harry was panting next to her; both of them were sprawled out beside Cedric's cold body. The black-haired fourteen-year-old sent up red sparks weakly, trying uselessly to regain his breath.

* "I should heal you." * _The stubborn boy shook his head._

* "Cedric. Help him." *

__

She swallowed. Tears once again burned in her eyes as she nodded tersely. * I can't do it! * _her head screamed. Still, she shook away her doubts and gently turned the other boy's body over, placing her hands firmly on his chest and forcing herself through the thin barrier between life and death._

The deafening wind nearly drowned out the pained screams of the dead. Souls brushed up against her, causing her to shiver and the coldness of the wind to seep into her bones. She carefully searched the faces of the new-dead, those closest to the barrier and to Life. She soon found Cedric, leading him toward the wall of light in the world of dark. Weariness engulfed her. She shoved him on as other souls started attacking her.

*"GO ON!" * _she screamed at the Hufflepuff boy as she started battling the Dead. _* "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! JUST OPEN YOUR EYES!" *_ As she battled the spirits she opened her external eyes. Cedric was staring at her in concern, feeling her pour her energy into his body._

Dumbledore, Mr. and Mrs. Diggory, the teachers, and Cho Chang were the first people in front of a crowd. * "Don't come too much closer," * _she had warned hoarsely, her voice sore from screaming. She was still fighting with the Dead at the border of Life, and she also still had both of her cold hands on Cedric's now bare chest and draining her life into him. She sensed Cho's jealously at her touching them and she added, _* "If you separate us now we'll both die." *

__

Cedric had stared at her steadily for a moment, noting her pale face lightly beaded with sweat before calling his parents closer. In a calm and soft voice he told them everything, causing tears to run down all of their faces. He finished with words Alex could never forget: * "Mom, Dad, Alexandra is killing herself to keep me alive. It… I really believe that it is my time to go. Let's not allow her to die with me, ok?" *

__

Suddenly Alex felt like she was leaving her body, to see the scene embedded in her mind – Cedric Diggory's death – from a third person's point of view. Then the familiar scene faded away into a far more familiar and horrifying face. With tight, drawn skin whiter than a skull with wide scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat and slit like a snake's, Lord Voldemort's face was certainly not a kind one.

* "Alexandra…" * _his cruel, cold voice whispered in her head. _* "The end is coming, Alexandra… I am far more powerful than even your 'Professor Dumbledore'… It is time you choose your side, Alexandra… Come to me! I am the one who gave you life, who gave you power… Come to me, my little… 'Alex'…" *

* * * END DREAM * * *

Alex woke with a start, her chest heaving with each ragged intake of breath and her forehead burning. She caught the faint golden glow of the star on her forehead reflecting off the glass of one of her roommates' mirrors, and she quickly focused so it would disappear again. Fear and adrenaline still coursed through her veins, and as she quieted her breathing she could still hear the party going on downstairs. The new first-years had been sorted, the feast was over, and the end-of-summer celebrations had only begun when the blonde had retired to bed. She checked her watch, noting that even once midnight had struck the fun hadn't stopped.

She shivered again, and crept out from underneath her thick covers, going downstairs despite her rumpled appearance. The blonde rubbed her temples with cold fingers as she stepped into the noisy common room. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Alexandra Star!" a familiar voice exclaimed while a large clapped her on her back. "And in her pajamas no less! You've changed so much over the summer, Alex?"

The blue-eyed girl blinked in confusion as red hair and freckles swam in front of her blurry eyes. "Fred?" she inquired in confusion.

"Yep!" he responded loudly as George came up and swooped her into a hug.

"Alex's in her pj's!" he cried out with delight. "I've waited SO long for this day!"

"Wha…?"

"Alex, you woke up!" Hermione called from across the Common room.

"Fred and George flew the car out here. Isn't that cool?!" Ron added.

Suddenly what the twin redheads said sunk in. She automatically looked down at her tank top with "Angel Baby" written on it and her silky stars-and-moons pants. She laughed to herself, comparing herself to the person her friends knew – a girl who NEVER showed off her body and extra careful to be dressed appropriately in her pajamas in front of the whole house. Alex sighed to herself and shrugged.

"You look tired," Harry commented as she walked over to where the trio was sitting.

"Mmm," she agreed. She collapsed into an empty chair and stared into the fire. Tremors raced through her body yet again and she scooted closer to the fire.

__

Rise, she ordered silently, her eyes closed and focusing on the flame. It expanded rapidly, cackling and giving off more heat. Alex forced her tense body to relax in the warmth, trying desperately to ignore the thoughts that led her back to her dreams.

The blonde barely registered the talking occurring around her, though she smiled and accepted a hairbrush Hermione offered her gratefully. With slow, mechanical strokes she brushed her hair until it was smooth and glittering in the firelight.

After a time she stopped, handing the brush back silently. Her thoughts absorbed her and she stood without warning. Harry looked up in confusion as she stormed out of the common room. She had interrupted him, something she never did for her worst enemies, let alone her best friends. "Where's she going?"

TO BE CONTINUED…

I would like you to review/give me suggestions, but I'm not going to ask for a certain number to post or anything. (I don't really like that, I must admit.) However, since I am in 8th grade and moving on to high school soon, as well as applying for boarding schools – I live in the country, my closest neighbor is my horse, and I want more opportunities than my local high school can give me – though I HAVE to get a scholarship, so I have TONS of applications to fill out – I have a VERY busy schedule. So, if you want this fic or others to be 'top priority' I need at least ONE person (is that asking for a lot? ONE person throughout this whole fic) to want me to write more. I will be posting regardless, but it will take a LOT longer if no one comments at all. EVEN IF IT IS A FLAME! So, I would really appreciate it if you reviewed. But, as always, that's a choice.


	2. New DADA teacher -- 2

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 2 / 9

Alex's bare feet ran across the cold stones silently. She quickly made her way to Headmaster Dumbledore's office, a place she had been more than once. When she reached the stone gargoyle she bent over, breathing deeply. Once she had caught her breath she started listing candies.

Ten minutes later she was still standing there, this time screaming insults at the monster. "You're worse than a constipated Blast-Ended Screwt!" Much to Alex's surprise, the gargoyle leapt to life and stepped aside. For a moment the blonde blinked in surprise. "You have GOT to be kidding," she muttered darkly as she ascended the stairs. The blue-eyed girl frowned as she heard voices from behind the door, hesitating to knock.

__

I've got to tell him, she told herself firmly. _No exceptions._ She knocked loudly on the wooden door.

"Enter," she heard Professor Dumbledore say. Alex shifted for a moment before pulling the door. Her eyes scanned over the teachers present, her eyes resting for a moment longer on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She frowned as she read his aura, then turned back to the Professor who was waiting expectantly for her to explain her visit. "Yes, Ms. Star?"

"Professor Dumbledore, I'm sorry for coming so late, and for interrupting a meeting – "

"You should be!" Professor Snape interrupted. "It's one thirty in the morning, and you interrupted a meeting between the teachers, Ms. Star – "

"I had a dream." The interruption was so unlike the quiet blonde that it shocked Snape into silence. "It was more of a nightmare, really," she added in a softer tone now that she had the teachers' attention. "It started out as reliving Cedric's death… But then it changed into a vision." Alex turned her dream-like gaze to Dumbledore. "Voldemort's gained power and confidence. He believes that he could easily crush us." She again looked away, her focus now on the floor. "He wanted me to choose what side I was on."

Dumbledore frowned in concentration. "Professors, Alexandra, as most of you know, is not a normal witch."

"I'm not a witch at all," she explained. "I'm a magician, a worker of magic. That's why I don't need a wand – all my power is already running through me. My training comes in with learning how to control it."

"How is this possible?" The new teacher commented. His black eyes had roamed her body for a moment before reaching her eyes again.

Alexandra breathed out for a moment, closing her eyes to collect her thoughts. "He created me to be powerful. That was to be my only use. And powerful I am – it's just too bad I grew up in a way that made me want to choose the 'wrong' side."

"Who?" Professor McGonagall inquired, her curiosity piqued. The new DADA teacher examined her again in his captivating gaze.

"You're not a vampire, so you couldn't mean Seite," he murmured to himself. Alex looked at him again.

"What's your name again? I'm afraid I must have forgotten it," she stated calmly.

"Professor Carew Karr," the dark-haired man introduced calmly, taking her hand and shaking it seriously.

"But that's your human name," the blonde commented after a silent moment. "I meant your vampiric one."

"How did you know…" Madam Hooch was interrupted by the other teachers. Professor Flitwick and Trelawney started arguing, while the others' angry voices grew louder.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore finally exclaimed, fed up with the noise. He turned his piercing blue gaze to the blonde. "Now, Alexandra, are you or are you not going to explain?"

He was giving her a way out. That was the first thing that popped into the fifteen-year-old's head. She looked away, her nervous fingers tucking a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear. "I'll finish," she whispered weakly. She inhaled deeply, letting the breath out slowly before she continued.

"To answer your question, Professor…?"

His dark eyes flashed, reading hers carefully. "Malachi."

"Professor Malachi," Alex restated softly, surprise shining in her eyes. "Technically it is not possible for a human to have the… pure power, I suppose – there's not really a good word for it – that I possess. Therefore, the only logical answer is that I'm not human." The blue-eyed girl's statement was carefully cold and precise.

The silence that engulfed the room was almost deafening, and Alex shuddered in it. "I…" She swallowed back her fear of the future as she painstakingly chose her next words. "Voldemort created me – fifteen years ago to be a weapon of pure destruction. I'm not sure how he did it… but when I… was taken from the cauldron, I was an infant. I lived with different followers for my 'toddler years'…" Her voice faded out as her memories took over. "By that time my powers had completely asserted themselves… I spent most of my free time creating universes, solar systems…"

The girl shook herself from her memory, laughing slightly at her nostalgia. "Gomen," she apologized breathlessly.

"Japanese?" Malachi again took her appearance in carefully, frowning at whatever conclusion he had come to.

"Yeah, I'm crazy about it!" the fifteen-year-old admitted. "But anyway, after my early childhood they sent me to an orphanage. I think they thought if I relived a life as close to Voldemort's as possible – " the blonde tactfully continued to ignore the flinches she received when she said the name – "that I would grow up to be as… dark… as he is. Obviously that is not the case."

There was silence in the room as the teachers processed the information they had been given while Alexandra shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "Thank you, Ms. Star, that will be all," Dumbledore said politely.

"Professor, if… Lord Voldemort… is really after Ms. Star I should accompany her to her house," Malachi said quickly. Alex's eyes darted to him for a moment before returning to Professor Dumbledore's.

"Do you have a problem with that, Alexandra?"

"No, sir," she responded quickly. "As a matter of fact, I'd enjoy the opportunity to speak to Professor… Karr."

"Fine, then. Thank you very much, Carew." Malachi nodded as he left his seat and opened the door politely for Alex.

"Thank you," she murmured as she left the room. He walked swiftly by her side as they moved in silence through the large school. "Professor, may I ask you a personal question?" the blonde asked tentatively as they neared Gryffindor tower. The vampire smiled at her, expertly hiding his fangs.

"Of course. What is it you want to know?"

"Why are you still on our side?" she inquired softly. "I've read a lot about you… My friends think I'm crazy, considering the creatures I enjoy reading about are so dark, while they still consider me so 'light'… And you've never told anyone your reason for staying with the side of 'light'."

Malachi stopped, glancing ahead then back at the blonde in front of him. "Truthfully?" At her silence, he continued, "Truthfully, Alexandra – "

"Alex."

"Alex," he corrected himself after a moment. "Truthfully, once, a long time ago, I knew a woman very much like you. I was her protector, her friend, and her most attentive student. For while she wasn't a teacher – far from it, she was a princess – she was a very intelligent one. She taught me things no one else had. To live life to the fullest, to always look on the bright side, to fight for your beliefs…

"The enemies of her kingdom slaughtered her almost ten thousand years ago, so she is long dead, but she still lives in my thoughts. I've spent most of my 'Undead' life searching the planet for her reincarnations so I could protect her there as well. I'd say, if anything, that she is the one keeping me on the side of light. Because I could never offend her spirit in such a way as to make her feel like she's failed because a friend of hers was dark."

"Wow…" Alex whispered after a while. "That's… intense."

Malachi grinned as he snapped himself out of his memories. "I suppose that's a matter of opinion," he replied lightly. "But in reality, anyone's reason preventing them from going to the 'dark' side is intense, don't you think?"

Alexandra frowned, processing the information slowly. She started walking on, muttering the password to the Fat Lady while still deep in thought. "Oyasumi," she remembered to call back faintly to the vampire as she went into the common room. The portrait swung shut behind her.

"Goodnight," Malachi agreed softly.

TO BE CONTINUED…

For those of you who care, Malachi is a character from my book. In that he was protector to a princess who lived and died 10,000 years ago. (Don't ask.) However, if you ever see something similar to that in a bookstore (it's actually set in the present) then it may be me who published it! (Hey! A girl can dream!) ^_^ . Ja!


	3. At the End of the Tunnel -- 3

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 3 / 9

Alexandra frowned at her food, picking through it without interest. The mail had already come – nothing for her, as usual – and it was too early to leave. She mashed the eggs, tore up the toast, and crushed her bacon into tiny pieces. Not yet satisfied, she politely requested the oatmeal. When she received it she carefully added a large spoonful of the colorless cereal to her creation. After a moment's consideration, she poured orange juice over it and determinedly began stirring it around with her spoon.

Her three friends were looking at her with great concern. "Alex…?" Harry managed to ask after a long silence from the Gryffindor table.

"Mm?" she inquired, her blue eyes still focused on her invention.

"Are you… ok?" The blonde blinked at him for a moment in surprise before grinning.

"Course I'm fine!" she said. "I'm just not hungry, so I'm turning breakfast into a science experiment… or maybe it's a Potions experiment, since we don't have Science!" She flashed another grin before saying, "It's seeing which tastes better – the actual food, or this mush, which is really what it turns into once the stuff enters our stomach… Are you guys ok?"

Harry looked pale, while Ron looked almost green. Even Hermione looked slightly queasy, though she managed to answer, "I… don't think we really needed to know that, Alex."

"'K, 'Mione-chan," the blonde chirped cheerfully.

The trio stared at the girl, who was happily stirring around the grotesque creation in front of her. "You sure are lively today, aren't you Alex?" Seamus inquired, silently wondering about the fifteen-year-old's personality change.

"Hai!" came the agreement. Dean, a tall black boy, looked at her strangely before shaking his head and attempting to go back to his breakfast – though that was exceedingly difficult after seeing what the blonde had made of hers.

Brightly colored lights followed by an explosion of sound silenced the Great Hall. Alexandra looked up, worry seeping slowly into her forced cheerful face. "Excuse me for interrupting your breakfast," Dumbledore started, "but I wanted to give you all this announcement today. On Halloween there will be a dance accompanying the celebration. Parents are invited, and the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be there also, as well as the elves, centaurs, and even a few unicorns will be coming."

Fear seeped into Alexandra's bones as the Headmaster spoke, and she shivered involuntarily. Some were silent, remembering the previous year, while most cheered the news. "Ms. Star, could you please come up? Everyone else, enjoy the rest of your breakfast and don't be late to your classes, please."

Alex stood and walked to the head table slowly, feeling everyone's eyes on her. "Hai, Professor?" she asked quietly when she stood in front of Dumbledore.

"Does that sound like enough magic to you, Alexandra?"

"Yes, Professor, it does seem… tempting enough… But I think the thing we should really emphasize is that it's a parent/student thing. He loves showing he has power over me."

Dumbledore studied her carefully. "I will consider it," he said finally. "Now, Ms. Star, you had better get your books for class."

"Hai…" she murmured slightly. She turned and left the hall, only to be grabbed by the elbow and dragged into a closet. "What the h*ll…!"

"What's wrong with you?!" Draco demanded angrily, shoving the girl up against the wall. He pinned her there firmly, careful, yet unwilling to let her go.

"What d'you mean?" she wondered aloud, relaxing her body in hopes he would relax his hold on her.

"First you were CHEERFUL at breakfast…"

"Isn't a girl allowed to be happy?" she exclaimed defensively.

"No," the blonde boy replied. "Alex, whenever your 'cheerful' your really worried. And then you looked downright TERRIFIED when Dumbledore made his announcement! What the f*ck is up?"

Alex made a face at his language, never having tolerated swearing well. "I just had a bad night, ok? Now come on, I have a promise to fulfill, don't I? I promised that I'd help you and Harry get together this year and I will. But we have to start now." She was silent, adding in her thoughts, _Because if things go the way I think they will I'll be dead in two months._

Draco examined his friend's face carefully, frowning at the precise expressionless mask. "Fine, I'll let you out this time, Star. Look, you have DADA, and I have Herbology. Think about our plan, and then we'll put it into action. Good idea?"

"Yeah, sure," she agreed weakly. The blonde slipped carefully out of the closet and raced up to Gryffindor Tower. She dug through her trunk madly for her DADA books before grabbing them and racing back down.

When she reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts room she was late and gasping for breath. "Gomen nasai, Professor Karr," she breathed out quickly before sitting in the first open seat she saw, one in the front row next to Neville.

"Apology accepted, Ms. Star. But I am curious – what took you so long?" Alexandra blushed, realizing how bad the truth sounded.

"Ano…" _Um…_ "Well, in all truthfulness, sir, a friend of mine was worried about me and he… detained me." Malachi raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the class.

"Ok, class, put away your books, the first day is going to be explaining why I'm here." Some of the class groaned at the prospect of a lecture, while others cheered that they wouldn't be using the large textbooks. "Ok. Guys, we're at war now. Maybe it doesn't seem like it… but the terror has already begun for those unlucky enough to have to experience it. People are being slaughtered EVERY DAY… on both sides.

"Yeah, sure, Voldemort's bad. But we're no angels either. And who knows? Maybe he even did some good in his life…" The vampire was looking pointedly at Alex, who sat ridged in her seat. Harry raised his hand from the back row.

"Professor, are we talking about the same Voldemort?" Scattered laughs sounded from the room, even though the raven-haired teenager was deadly serious.

"I know of only one Voldemort – He-who-must-not-be-named – who are you speaking of?"

"So you're saying that you think he's *GOOD*?!?!"

"Harry, if you take the time to look humans are quite predictable. Throughout history they've been repeating the same boring problems again and again. And yet, at the same time, they can be extremely UNpredictable."

Hermione raised her hand. Malachi nodded at her and she stated, "Professor, that's impossible. A person cannot be unpredictable and unpredictable at the same time!"

"Humans manage it. Don't know how they do, but they do," the teacher stated frankly. "Look, however young I may seem, I'm actually a very old man. I've learned a lot through the years. NEVER have I met one creature that was pure evil, because none of them had always been that way. Even small, faint memories of a distant past keep a creature from completely falling into hate.

"Humans amaze me, sometimes. Some of your greatest fears – vampires, mummies, zombies… they were all human once. They know all of a human's weaknesses… but also all of his or her strengths.

"You see, things aren't always as black-and-white as they seem. And that's my job this year. Not to teach you dumb spells that may leave you in the time of greatest need, not even to teach you things even a muggle could do to save themselves from danger. My job is to teach you about all the shades of gray… and how complicated the true situation can be, even if from one point of view it was simple." Malachi's soft, hypnotizing voice was cut off by a bell signifying the end of class. His black eyes glanced up at the clock, even as he said, "You're free to go."

Students filed out quickly, talking loudly amongst themselves. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stopped at her desk while Alex patiently gathered her books. "You guys go on, ok? I have to talk to Professor Karr. I'll meet you at Potions?"

"Sure…" Harry said. As he left he started talking to Ron, and it was only Hermione who glanced back worriedly. The blonde smiled reassuringly before turning her attention to the vampire.

"It was a nice lecture."

"Thanks."

"May I ask you another personal question?" she inquired softly. Malachi glanced up from the paperwork he had been about to do. At his encouraging nod, Alex continued, "How are they feeding you?" She gasped almost as soon as the words left her mouth, flushing with embarrassment. "I'm sorry! That makes you sound so much like a pet… That wasn't my intention!"

"It's ok, Alex. They're giving me cattle blood."

"Mm, no wonder then," she murmured to herself.

"What?"

"It's just… you look so pale… Almost like you haven't fed in several days. Maybe even longer," the blonde explained. She glanced up for a moment, examining him critically. "I'm going to need study help," she said suddenly. "Do you think you would be able to help me with my work?"

"You think you'd pay me by opening a vein?" Malachi asked skeptically. "Alex, feeding a vampire voluntarily takes a lot of trust. And even if you had that trust of me I wouldn't let you do it."

"I've got to go," Alex murmured softly. "Think about it, ok? The offer stays open – and you know you'll die if you're kept on animal blood, and before that you'll lose control and hurt someone. Maybe even kill them. Think about it." The girl slung her bag over her shoulder and left the room, heading quickly to Potions. She walked into the dungeon room calmly and sat beside Hermione.

Professor Snape stormed in when class started, clearly in a bad mood. He proceeded to pair people: Harry/Draco, Ron/Crabbe, Hermione/Alexandra, and so on. When he reached the end of the pairings she felt anger seethe inside her. _Damn it, Snape, how could you do this?!_

The teacher grinned at the one lone student. Neville Longbottom. "You, Mr. Longbottom, will be working – "

"He can work with us, Professor!" Hermione quickly inserted. Alex nodded her agreement quickly.

"Longbottom will be working ALONE, Ms. Granger! And for daring to interrupt me, ten points from Gryffindor!"

Alex couldn't contain her anger, and snapped out, "Maybe I should take this up with my father, *PROFESSOR!* I'm sure he would *LOVE* to see his… friend… after all these years. My father's known for the extravagant, imagine the welcome *you* would receive."

Snape froze in cold fury. "You just cost your house fifty points, Ms. Star. I'd think twice before trying something like that again." The teacher's voice was dangerously soft, and his frozen glare chilled the blonde to the bone.

Alex clenched her fists in anger, only to grab the knife and start mechanically cutting the herbs for the potion, barely hearing through her rage, "Mr. Longbottom, at the end of the class period we will test your 'Draught of the Dead' on… yourself. If you mess up, even in the slightest, it could put you in a coma… Or worse, it could even *kill* you." The Potion master's grin was downright evil.

"Herm?" she inquired softly, careful to watch Neville and cut the herbs precisely. The brown-haired girl beside her nodded slightly to show she was listening. "I'm going to help Neville using my magic, 'k?"

Worry filled Hermione's brown eyes. "O… okay, I guess… It would save Neville…"

Alex nodded. She watched the boy in front of her like a hawk watches a mouse, carefully pulling on her strings of magic to keep him from ruining his concoction.

The end of the class period drew nearer, and five minutes from the dismissing bell Snape called the class to a halt. "Here in my hand I hold the counter-potion to the Draught of the Dead," he announced to the class. "So, if Longbottom here did it RIGHT – which would be a miracle – this will promptly wake him up."

Neville was shaking in his robes as he carefully poured some of his potion into a glass. Teeth chattering, he swallowed the glass in one large gulp and immediately fell asleep. The Gryffindors gasped, while the Slytherins laughed. Professor Snape pried open Neville's jaw and poured down the counter-potion. A moment later, Neville leapt up, grinning with joy. Cheers erupted from the Gryffindors as the bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom. Just as he was about to leave, Draco glanced back at Alex to see her small, satisfied smile. He also noticed her exhaustion from working her magic.

"I can't believe you did that," he mouthed to her as he exited the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was the night after Neville's 'miracle', which the Gryffindors were still congratulating him for, and a certain blonde Slytherin was searching for Alexandra Star. Draco's head popped out of the small trapdoor on the roof. "I thought you'd be out here!" he called to the girl, moving onto the slanted ground with cat-like grace. He studied his friend's serious features, watching her stare at the blood-red sunset.

"Draco?" she asked softly, finally acknowledging his presence as the stars started appearing in the sky. "You… You know how they say when people die, it's like their moving into the light?"

"Yeah…" the blonde-haired boy answered doubtfully.

"Well I'm in darkness, Draco," she murmured softly. "But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel." She turned to her friend, revealing her tear-filled eyes. "I… I don't want to die, Draco, demo…" _But…_ Tears again started falling down her already tear-stained face as she threw herself into her friend's arms. "But… If I don't…" Sobs broke her speech, and Draco tighten his arms around her in confusion. He had never seen his friend cry – not when she told him Voldemort was her 'father', not when she said she wasn't human, not when Cedric died – and now something had gotten the idea in her head that *SHE* would die, and he had no idea how to comfort her.

__

Come to think of it, I've never comforted anyone, ever, the teenager thought. He opened his mouth, but managed to bite back the rude retort about her being weak. "Alex… Dumbledore would never let us get hurt. And even if you *WERE* in a potentially harmful situation, you know I'd never let anything happen to you. You're like a little sister, and if there's one thing I never do it's that I never, *EVER* allow my family – well, those I consider my family – " he revised quickly, thinking of his father, "get hurt."

Alex was silent, reveling in the serenity of the night. "You're right," she murmured finally. The moon had risen high into the sky, and she found herself saying, "Well aren't I a baka!" _Idiot!_ "Here I am ranting about my problems when you and Harry STILL aren't together!" She grinned. "How about this. You have to be EXTRA, *EXTRA* nice to him, starting bright and early tomorrow, ok? And you could be his secret admirer…" She trailed off. "Yes, I think that will do it! Then you should have him in a month or so, don't you think?"

Draco grinned slightly, only half listening to what his blonde friend was rambling about. _What IS it that she's so worried about?_ he wondered.

TO BE CONTINUED…

I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed… Thank you, nevertheless, for putting up with me! ^_^.


	4. Jealousy -- 4

MANY, MANY thanks to Angel, SoulSister, mandraco, babyangel, hpfan12, franthephoenix, and Spirit-of-Magic. I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT! My brother was about to kill me when I hugged him because I was so happy that I got seven reviews! *Wipes away a tear* And I am, REALLY! ^_^ (And when I told him I had more now, he ran away screaming!)

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 4 / 9

Draco inhaled deeply, once again straightening his robes. "What if he tells me off again? He's been doing that for the past month… No, don't think like that. It's great, everything's great," he murmured to himself. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Never ask what the worst thing that could happen is," Alex stated calmly. She was leaning against the frame of his dorm doorway leisurely as she commented on his statement. "Besides, the worst that could happen is that you come across as an arrogant jerk who cares for no one but himself, and you've already done that." She grinned at her friend's nervousness.

"Sod off," he muttered to her darkly. "And how the hell did you manage to get into the *BOYS' _SLYTHERIN_* dorm room?"

Alex just grinned, twisting a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger. "I have my ways," she said, grinning again at the boy's dark look before he once again turned his attention to the mirror. He attempted to finger-comb his hair again worriedly, apprehension filling his movements. The girl sighed.

She walked over to him and pulled him into a backward hug, locking her arms around his shoulders as she gently rested her chin on his left shoulder. "Onii-chan, you look fine. Come on, if you don't go down to breakfast now we'll miss him." She added under her breath, "And breakfast, demo…" _But…_

"What's ohn-ee-chan?" Draco asked mindlessly as he attempted to straighten his robes. *AGAIN.*

"It's older brother," the blonde replied. "With an endearment that shows we're close. See, suffixes are really simple – "

"Forget I asked!" Draco begged quickly. Alex shot him a glare in the mirror as she released him and they started to leave the dorm.

"Blank-sama is extremely formal and used for someone higher than you are…"

"Then why aren't I Draco-sama?"

Again she scowled at him as she continued, "As in someone you revere, like a really important boss or royalty. Blank-san is polite, and used for people older than the person speaking or people you aren't very close you or who you have great respect for. Blank-kun is used for boys the speaker's age or younger and who they're friends with – or at least fairly close to. Blank-chan is used for girls the speaker's age or younger who he or she is friends with slash fairly close to. If the –chan suffix is used on a guy the two people are either really close or dating, that sort of thing. And of course the way two people show they are closest is if they don't use a suffix at all."

Draco looked at his friend, shaking his head as he entered the Great Hall. "Remind me NEVER to take Japanese," he muttered to himself as he walked toward the Slytherin table. Alex stood in confusion as she blinked at the closed, heavy doors. Suddenly it sunk in about what he said.

"I HEARD THAT!" she yelled at the door angrily.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

STAB! STAB! *STAB!* Ron and Harry glanced at Alex, who was viciously spearing her eggs, then at each other over her head. They each shrugged before returning to their breakfasts, each silently agreeing it was better than when she was practicing science with her food.

"Uh… Hey, Harry!" a familiar voice said. Draco nervously twisted his hands inside his pockets, carefully making sure his apathetic expression was in place. The raven-haired teenager brushed him off immediately.

"Sod off, Malfoy."

Draco's silvery gray eyes flashed to Alex before he stated, "But… I really was hoping to be able to talk to you…"

"Malfoy, I told you to *SOD OFF!* I'm SO sick and tired of you doing this! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Draco forced back the tears that wanted to form in his eyes.

"Fine," he murmured softly. He walked away quickly as the Gryffindors laughed.

"DAMN IT!" The explosion made laughs die on their lips as Alex stood. "Damn it," she said again softly. "Damn you, Harry! Every damn day! Every FREAKING *DAY*! You keep saying that he's being a jerk," Alex said quickly, cutting off a shocked raven-haired fifteen-year-old. "Ok, so maybe he has *been*. But what has he done to you in the past month? In the past *YEAR*?!" The blonde slammed her chair into the table as she murmured softly, "You can be so cold sometimes, Harry. How could you do that to him?" She stormed out of the Great Hall, following Draco's blazing aura of hurt emotions.

The trail led her to a stone wall on the left side of some minor hallway. She searched carefully for a way to open the door, frowning when she couldn't find them. "I'm not going to like this," she murmured as she thought of a solution to her problem. She took a deep breath and released it as she walked into the wall.

Her mind was strictly focused on transparency, and she forced herself to press forward through the solid material. When she opened her eyes she frowned again in concern. Draco was huddled crying on a large bed in the middle of the room. The girl crawled up its length to lie next to him, only to be rudely pushed away. She lay there for a moment, waiting patiently until a moment later he wrapped his arms around her waist. She ran her fingers through his hair almost automatically, trying in the only way she knew how to be comforting as she held him close in a friendly hug.

"You know, you'd never see any of my so-called friends trying to comfort me," Draco said bitterly through choked sobs. "Besides, crying is a weakness."

"Iie!" Alex disagreed strongly. There was a small silence, save for the blonde boy's muffled tears, before the blue-eyed girl attempted to fill it. "You remember second year?" she inquired softly. Feeling her friend nod against her shoulder, she said, "So you know that it was then that Dumbledore told me and my friends that I was Voldemort's creation for the first time." Draco nodded again, tightening his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her.

Alex stared at the canopy above the bed, forcing away tears. "You'll remember that I didn't cry then – I always saw it as a way he would have won over me, and I wouldn't allow it." Memories and emotions engulfed her as she attempted to calm the winds, water, and fire that rose to console her as her magic flared. The rocks surrounding them rumbled in sympathy.

"I didn't cry when Harry fought Voldemort for the first time, I didn't cry when my friends were trapped in the Chamber of Secrets without me while another was in a coma-like state… I didn't even cry when Cedric died, even though it was my fault." She put a finger up to his lips to stop his protest, propping herself up over him as tears filled her eyes.

"Believe it or not, Draco, it was. I can block the Adava Kedavra spell if I want to. I forgot – for one instant – and it cost someone their *LIFE*! Draco, I – " Tears were choking her voice, though she refused to allow them to fall.

"Draco, if I chose to I have the power to destroy the *galaxy*."

The blonde boy groaned and pulled her down, holding her in a tighter hug than before. "You worry too much," he whispered into her hair. "It's starting to show. You're pale all the time, and you're constantly tired…"

"I'm singing at the Halloween dance," she explained in a soft voice. "That's on top of my homework and study sessions with Professor Karr. Of course I'm tired."

__

She's lying, Draco realized almost immediately. He frowned, but chose to ignore it for the moment. He held her quietly, silently comforting her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry stared in disbelief, staring through the wall with the help of a translucency spell. _NO! That's not possible! Alex CAN'T like Draco!_ The seeker felt jealousy boiling through his veins, and for a brief moment he examined it. _If I'm jealous… why do I feel like I'm jealous of Alex?_

TO BE CONTINUED…

Please review, I'd really appreciate it if you told me what you liked or what you want me to change… whatever. Thank you!


	5. Shattered and fulfilled dreams - 5

MANY THANKS AGAIN TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED!

WARNING: The yaoi (or slash, in English… or at least, not in Japanese… ^_^ ) is now coming in. You've been warned. ^_^ .

PS ~ the word 'ne' is sort of like an agreement, or 'eh'… you know, that kind of random word stuck into a phrase. ^_^

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 5 / 9

Harry paced the length of the dorm room again. It had been almost three weeks since he cast a spell on the wall to see Alex in bed with Draco, and two weeks since he decided he had been jealous of Draco -- _MALFOY!_ -- not Alex. It was only a week and a half to Halloween, and he had yet found a date for the dance. Throwing a quick glance to the mirror, he carefully made sure his hair was in place before heading down the stairs.

Alex glanced up as she heard a person entering the Common Room, smiling at Harry before returning to her conversation with Hermione. "Don't worry! It's nice to know that a couple of guys are interested in you, ne?"

"Yeah, definitely," the brunette agreed. "Too bad I'm going with Ron!"

"Mm," Alex agreed. "I – "

"Alex, can I talk to you?" The blonde blinked in surprise, almost as much over the question as the strange look flashing in Harry's emerald eyes.

"Yeah, sure… I guess." With a quick, wildly confused glance back at her female friend, the fifteen-year-old cautiously followed the Boy Who Lived – in a way that almost suggested she was a rabbit going into a wolf's den. "So… what's up?" Alex was twisting her hands nervously in front of her, and her breathing was uneven. She prayed to any and every god she had heard of that what she sensed from his mind was inaccurate, and she viciously tried to close her mind within its own walls.

There was a long uncomfortable -- for Alex -- silence in which Harry examined his friend's terrified gaze carefully. "I want you to go to the Halloween Dance with me."

The world swayed violently under the blonde's feet as she attempted to process the information quickly and emotionlessly. Before they were entirely under control, however, wind, water, fire, and earth responded to the feelings, howling, roaring, cackling, and rumbling in response to their turbulence.

__

This **HAD** to come now, didn't it?! Her cheeks flushed hot and cold as her thoughts behaved like a roller coaster. After a long moment, she thought, _Well, he certainly was romantic with that suggestion, wasn't he?_ Shaking her head briefly to physically tear her from her thoughts, she grit her teeth as she replied. "I'm sorry, but I already have plans."

Then, startlingly, the raven-haired teenager exploded. "They're with Malfoy, aren't they?"

"W — what?"

"I saw you with him! Don't try to deny it! I bet you've slept with him too!" Harry was now sounding almost wild, and the surrounding Gryffindors looked up in shock.

Alex's head was aching from lack of blood and the yelling in the room added on top of her psychic awareness of Voldemort's building armies. "God, is there no way to win on this planet?!" Inwardly she was laughing at her situation. Her best friend, who she was in love with, thought she was shagging one of her other best friends. "Yes, I've slept with him, ok? But not in the way your gutter-mind is thinking of – even if I wanted to I wouldn't…" Words stopped pouring out of her mouth when she realized she couldn't yet explain the situation. _Even if I could,_ she thought idly, _I'd blush to the bone if I ever thought about repeating **THAT** sentence aloud!_

"Look, Harry, the plans… They aren't with anyone, but I want it to be at least a semi-surprise, so…" She fell silent as she noticed her friend's anger. "Fine, come on," she ordered as she grabbed his elbow and started dragging him toward the portrait hole. The blonde frowned as he resisted, then concentrated on teleporting them into the hallway. 

"Come ON!" she ordered again, this time pushing him forward as she mentally scanned the school for Draco's aura. In a moment she recognized that he was in their room, their secret place that was hidden from all others. As she marched determinedly forward, the wall transformed into a door and leapt open at her brief password – "Edro" – which was Elvish for open. Draco glanced up in surprise from the bed, an expression that changed to pure shock as he saw who followed her.

"Star, what the hell are you thinking?!" he demanded. She flinched slightly, knowing he was mad at her if he was using her surname. Alex rubbed her head slightly self-consciously, her fingers massaging the area where the star she had named herself after was hidden. As her fingers left the center of her forehead her anger returned.

"Look, Draco, I've had enough of this. If you don't tell Harry now I will."

The silver-haired boy's silver eyes were flashing. "Alex, are you crazy? I can't do that; you *WON'T* do that!"

"Just watch me!" she dared. His eyes quickly darted between the blonde and Harry, attempting to judge if she would actually do it.

"Fine," he conceded finally. "Do… Do you think I could talk to Harry in private?"

"Yeah, sure," she agreed softly. "Good luck, Draco. And Harry?" Confused, the boy looked at Alex. "Just listen, ok? Don't say anything until he finishes." With that she left, exiting the door and leaning against the soundproof wall for a moment, struggling once again with her emotions.

In a fit of anger she slammed her head against the stone wall, sinking slowly into a sitting position as tears warred with her control. "You two had better be happy," she whispered quietly. Her head and chest hurt from keeping her tears in, from lack of blood, from the total fear and worry she held inside. From her effort to forget about her upcoming death. She opened her eyes again weakly, weariness making her fall swiftly into sleep. "I'll make sure you have a future to be happy in."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inside the room Draco shifted nervously before putting up his cool façade. "Take a seat," he offered, his intense eyes watching Harry carefully.

"I'll stand thanks," he replied coolly.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked suddenly. He had been amused by Harry's confusion, and even the sullen anger he was showing now, bet he didn't understand the other teenager's irritation.

"Alex dragged me here," he responded stiffly.

There was a silence as Draco rose. "Was that the only reason?" he asked, stepping close to the slightly smaller boy.

"I wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt her."

"Why would I hurt her?" the silver-haired boy inquired, now thoroughly confused. "She's the only good friend I've got."

"All guys ever think about is sex."

Draco blinked. "Yeah, so…"

"So if you're shagging Alex you're gonna have to remember that girls don't."

As what he said sunk in Draco burst out laughing. "Me? Shag *ALEX*?!" Muttering under his breath he added, "Well *THERE'S* an unappealing idea if I ever heard one…" Louder he continued, "You know, Potter, if I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous!"

In an instant Harry was tossed back to the first day he had found out about the two blondes. Jealousy had boiled in his veins, and he unwillingly thought of the confusing weeks afterward when he wasn't sure of who it was directed toward.

"I'm not jealous," he denied through gritted teeth.

"Yes you are," Draco breathed, moving closer so his breath fell across the other boy's ear. "But who are you jealous of? Me… or Alex?"

Harry's breathing quickened as the other boy wrapped his arms around his waist and drew the raven-haired boy closer. "I'll never be jealous of you!" he exclaimed breathlessly as the silver-eyed boy rested his forehead against Harry's.

"Then that would mean you were jealous of Alex," he murmured slightly. Quickly, before the other could protest, Draco leaned in and kissed him.

Emotions swirled through the raven-haired boy, swelling and clambering for his attention. He through himself into the kiss, pressing his mouth harder to the other boy's and opening his mouth willingly when Draco's tongue ran over his lips.

The kiss continued for what seemed like hours and milliseconds and once. The couple broke apart for air before diving back together for another mind-blowing kiss. More than an hour passed before the couple changed their activity to talking, and several hours after that until they left the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alex carefully left her place in the hall, dropping by the Common room to grab her books and state that she and Harry would be studying with Professor Karr before leaving for the teacher's office. When she reached the large wooden door she knocked softly.

Malachi glanced up from the papers he was grading. "Come in."

"I'm here," Alex murmured as she took her seat across from the vampire.

"You want to start our session?" The blonde nodded as she cracked open her Divination textbook first.

Three hours later Alex closed her last book and sighed with relief. "That was a *LOT* of homework!"

"Mm," Malachi agreed wordlessly. He watched as the girl yawned and stretched cramped muscles. "Alex, you don't have to do this, you know. I'd help you study regardless."

"Nani?" _What?_ "Malachi, I said I'd do it. I have no problem with it, and its not hurting me." At her side her fingers waved slightly, tightening the power of her control. She stepped forward, exposing her neck and keeping herself from flinching as his fangs buried themselves in her neck and she released her slight control. As he drank Alex's head got lighter and she was forced to grab his shoulder to keep her knees from collapsing. No more than five minutes later she was back in her chair, resting and regaining her normal breathing rate.

"I'm – " Malachi began, his features flushed pink by the new blood.

"Don't be," Alex interrupted. She sat up, quickly healing the puncture marks on her neck as she said, "I think I've almost finished the project I told you I was working on – you know, the bottle that will be able to recreate blood perfectly if you fill it once. Hermione's been unwittingly helping me with the equations and stuff, and I've got the vial. Now I just have to enchant it, and see which ones work. It should be done before Halloween, if I can work on it!" She forced the last sentence to be cheerful, but it was difficult being the only one who knew that she was going to die by that time.

"Devil's night," she murmured softly to herself.

"Some do call it that," Malachi answered her just as quietly.

"It's just… you know, with Voldemort coming…"

"It fits?"

"Hai," she agreed softly. She started to say something else, then sat up quickly and froze. "Someone's coming," she warned quickly.

Just then a knock was heard on the door. "Come in," Malachi called, slightly wary.

Harry and Draco leaned in, then stepped forward when they saw Alex. "Um, we're just here to see Alex, sir."

"Ah," Malachi said. "I have one thing to say to her before she leaves, but if you're done with the work, Alex, then I don't see why you can't go."

"Okay…" Harry scratched his head. "We'll be outside, 'k?"

"Right," Alex murmured in reply. Malachi focused on her as the two boys left the room.

"Draco and Harry are together?" The blonde nodded, not questioning how he knew the information. "How are you taking that?"

"Fine. Why?"

"I just got the impression you had a crush on Harry, that's all."

Alex laughed slightly as she stood and turned to leave. "Yeah. So?"

"Alex, you're an intelligent young woman – "

"There's three things against me. Can you think of any more?" the girl asked, slightly bitterly. When she saw the teacher was about to speak again, she said, "Don't worry, I know being intelligent isn't a downside. I just don't want to talk about it, okay?" Malachi frowned, but nodded, dismissing the fifteen-year-old.

As she rejoined her friends, Harry briefly explained, "I went back to the dorm looking for you, and Ron said that you and I had been studying with Professor Karr."

"I figured it would give me the extra time to think up an excuse if you didn't come back tonight," Alex said, pointedly looking at Draco. Harry flushed a brilliant red as she continued, "I had a session planned for tonight anyway, so I couldn't be late." She was quiet for a while before asking, "So other than stuff I don't want to hear about, what stuff have you guys been doing?"

"We organized a game of strip poker!" Draco offered. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed. "Ron, Fred, George, Dean, and Seamus are going to be there, along with Hermione and Lavender."

"Hermione?!"

Harry nodded. "But see, Alex, we sort of have a problem…"

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "And what might that be?"

"Because Ron's straight and Fred and Dean are bi, we promised there would be at least three girls…" Draco explained.

"And you only have two."

"Not exactly," Harry murmured. Even Draco looked slightly nervous to Alex's trained eye, knowing that she wouldn't like what she would hear.

Quickly, the silver-haired boy mumbled, "Wekindasortatoldthemyou'dplay."

Alex stopped as she attempted to translate the nearly incomprehensible words. "You did *WHAT*?!?!?!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

*Frown* I don't think I did Draco well. *Sigh* He's a really complex character, and I don't think I showed that well.

I'm going to say this: I can only tell those who review when I update my sequel… *Hint, hint!* I accept any reviews (even flames, as long as you explain what you don't like/hate) and I appreciate ALL of them. To think, some people actually take time out of their day to tell me what they think about my story… *Wipes away a tear of happiness.* Ja!


	6. Night of Terror -- 6

Thanks to all who read and ESPECIALLY to those who review. I really appreciate your comments! THANKS!!!!

PS ~ As for couples… I have *NO* idea how I came up with them! I just started pairing people up with who I said was and was not gay and worked from there.

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 6 / 9

Alex was scribbling notes from her book for Care for Magical Creatures class, _The Monster Book of Monsters_. She murmured what she was writing under her breath as her quill flew across the page. "Dragons… Most have the ability to fly, such as…" She frowned as she wrote down their names.

"I hope Professor Dumbledore only chose the kind that can fly… But I guess we'll find that out tomorrow, won't we?" she murmured. She continued to write down notes: how their muscles worked, what they ate, what kind of habitat they liked, how you could kill them… The blonde growled softly in frustration. "Does or does not the Avada Kedavra spell work on them?" As she scanned the pages, she murmured, "It probably doesn't matter. Voldemort would know how to deal with them anyway…" Her head jerked up as people entered the room, talking loudly and laughing.

"Nani?" she asked softly, confused to see people in the room she created for privacy. _What?_ A knowing, annoyed look crossed her face as the only four people who knew of the room's existence followed the others, even though she had barely seen them in the past ten days.

"Well, hey, Alex!" One of the Weasley twins slammed her back as she jerked forward.

"Ohayo," she greeted. _Good morning._

"Whatcha studyin'?" the other – George, Alex could tell from the small scar beneath his left eye – inquired, leaning over and reading the page over her shoulder.

"Ooh, it's dragons," Fred commented.

"But I thought by this time in fifth year you'd be doing something interesting, like… I dunno, elves or something. Then again, what in Care for Magical Creatures is interesting?"

"Alex, sometimes you study too much!" Hermione exclaimed, squeezing Ron's arm.

"Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black!" she tossed back weakly. Seeing the twins' attention turn to her notes, she quickly shut her book. Almost immediately it started attacking the two older boys. "Desino!" she ordered, and the book abruptly dropped back to the table. _Stop!_ The blonde carefully folded the parchment and shoved it roughly into her jeans' back pocket.

"Why did you guys bring them all here?" Alex addressed Draco, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Her blue eyes scanned over Lavender, the twins, Dean, and Seamus as the truth dawned on her. "Minna-chan…" she said, her voice dangerously low.

"Well, we're going to play strip poker, remember?" The blonde's eyes narrowed as the Slytherin boy continued, "And we can't play in the Common room with all those kids…"

"And we can't play in the Girl's dorms…" Lavender supplied.

"And we can't do it in the Boy's dorms because girls aren't allowed in there…" 

"So here we are!"

Alex shot a quick glare at Ron, who finished the statement, before repeating, "So here you are." She sighed and gathered up her books. "I'll just leave then…"

"Aww… But Alex, we want to see you in your — " Fred was interrupted by a pink blonde.

"Bite me," the girl interrupted, turning and beginning to leave the room.

"Was that an invitation?" the eighteen-year-old asked hopefully.

"Simply a statement," she said. "I'd rather open a vein to a vampire than play strip poker with you guys."

"That's dan – "

"Come on, Alex. *PLEASE*!" Harry pleaded. Alex felt her resolve waver.

"Harry…"

"Alex, take your cards," Draco ordered, now dealing out the deck to the people sitting in a circle in the center of the room. The girl groaned under her breath before sitting down in the free space between Draco and Fred.

"Hi," the redheaded teenager said flirtatiously.

Alex rolled her eyes at his playful antics as the dealer, the silver-haired Slytherin, said loudly, "Ok, everyone, pay attention to the game!"

"And, remember Alex, you're supposed to take something off like you would before going to bed! Jewelry doesn't count" Hermione said, knowing how body-shy her friend was.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "But I take off my jewelry before I go to bed." Draco rolled his eyes at his friend's persistence.

"Shut up, Granger, otherwise she'll never play. Now make your bets."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do I have to have this pile in front of me?" Alex complained for the _n_th time. She kept her eyes steady on her new cards, knowing that if she looked up she would turn beet red. The blonde was the only person with her shirt and pants on, with the exception of Draco, who had taken off his silver stud earring in place of his leather pants.

She had been the winner five times out of seven, mainly from her unwillingness to lose. Therefore, she had a growing pile of clothing in front of her, and while she knew that to some of the people present that would have been erotic, to her it was just disturbing.

"No, Al, you win it, you have it," Draco replied in a bored tone, his eyes roving over Harry's body.

The blue-eyed girl made the mistake of glancing up, only to see the raven-haired Gryffindor Seeker sitting in his boxer shorts in front of her. She turned an instant red, muttering, "I quit!"

"You know, Alex, you're awfully body-shy for a Gryffindor," Seamus commented mindlessly as he stared openly at Dean. Glancing up quickly, she noticed that Hermione was ogling Ron while Lavender drooled over Fred.

"It just turns her on," Draco murmured between his kisses on Harry's face and neck. Alex made a face.

"Oh yes, that's it," she said dryly. "I'm just *SO* turned on!"

"Yep…" he replied indistinctly as he focused entirely on his task at hand.

Alex made another face and quickly left the room. As she stepped into a shadowed area of the Common room, where her door was hidden, all her worries and fears slammed into her, making her dizzy and breathless.

She slid down the wall, trembling as she realized the nearness of the next day, shown clearly by the extinguished fire. "God please have us win," she whispered softly, tears fighting to overcome her as she forced her muscles to still and her throat to unclench. "Kami-sama, Jupiter, Buddha, whatever name you go by." _PLEASE…_ "Don't let me fail… Or else… Minna-chan…" _Everyone…_ Alex shuddered, her frail body wracked with silent sobs as the tears she held in for fifteen years escaped in torrents. She hugged her knees tightly, willing herself to stay silent and still throughout the storm of emotions, and to hold her powers in check.

"Dear God please…" 

TO BE CONTINUED…

Good? Bad? Confusing? You'll learn more about Alex's powers in the next chapter… The Halloween Dance… HA HA HA HA HA! *Coughs* Yeah, yeah, I know I have to work on my evil laugh. Ja!


	7. Beginning of the End -- 7

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 7 / 9

When Alex awoke, everyone in her dorm had already gone to breakfast, but even the slight thought of food made the girl's tightly clenched stomach turn. Though she hadn't worn the black robes required at Hogwarts since she learned in second year that she wasn't a witch, she now found an old set in her trunk and magically altered it to fit. She closed her eyes and shaped her magic into hands, ordering them to reform the now-tight and short fabric into a more comfortable uniform.

She twisted her hair up and clipped it back before turning her attention back to her trunks. The blonde quickly unearthed the honey jar sized container that was full with her blood. "I'm glad it's done," she murmured before tucking it into one of the large pockets of her flowing robes. Glancing at the clock and realizing she would be late if she didn't hurry, Alex grabbed her copy of the Divination and Care for Magical Creatures books and quickly raced toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. When she reached the room, there was twenty-five minutes left until class starts, and Professor Karr was nowhere in sight.

She frowned for a moment before ripping a piece of parchment carefully off her homework. She set the canister on his desk, casting a spell that wouldn't allow anyone to lift it but him. She scribbled out a note before rushing out the door through the long, winding trip to the tower where the Divination class was held.

Malachi ~

Here's the 'invention' I told you about. Test it out and tell me if it works, okay?

~ Alex

When the blonde made it to Divination, she found that she was the only one there, though she was soon joined by her classmates. As Professor Trelawney started her class in her usual fashion, stepping out of the shadows, Alex attempted to focus on the particularly boring class. Because *she* could see into the future if she chose to – or if the future chose for her, she admitted irritably – she didn't have a large amount of respect for the thin teacher. Despite that she could sense that the older woman had the *capability* of foresight, even though it didn't appear often.

The end of the class was nearing – they were doing fire readings – when the insect-like professor started helping Harry with his. "Oh, dear!" she gasped.

"What is it?" the raven-haired boy asked, sounding bored, knowing what to expect.

"I see death!" the teacher proclaimed. "A terrible death where – "

"STOP IT!" Alex ordered. Fear coursed through her veins, and the power of her emotions caused the fire to rise and cackle in the room. Her classmates were shocked at her outburst, and Professor Trelawney was angry. Before the woman could say anything, however, Alex added, "No one would let Harry die!" Her pent up nerves exploded, making an outlet for her fears. As Trelawney reprimanded her, Alex calmed her breathing and silently ordered the fire to lessen. "Pax pacis," she murmured to the flame inside her head. _Peace._

"If you think I'm wrong, then what do you see?" Professor Trelawney's lecture, which Alex heard none of, was ended with that challenge. Glancing into the flame, the blonde studied it for a moment before turning away.

"I see fear," she murmured. "A great battle, a greater sacrifice. I see love discovered and unfulfilled, I see shattered dreams." She was silent for a moment before continuing in the same soft tone, "I see great sorrow. A life hanging on the edge of death… And I see people debating the truth and the shades of gray of things done long past." When Alex looked up her irises were a solid, bright gold. "I see a clashing of powers and darkness so great it swallows up the light." She blinked, and her eyes returned to their normal blue shade as a feeling of déjà vu swept through her body.

The feeling was soon replaced with immense pain. She heard screaming, and though she was on the floor writhing in agony she knew it wasn't her. She felt like her head was being split in half by an ax. She moaned slightly as the pain lulled for a moment then swept over her once again. The blonde forced her eyes open to see who the other injured person was, staring through strands of her thick hair. It was Harry.

Carefully, whimpering when she moved too fast, she managed to move her fingers to his forehead, brushing his livid scar with her magic as the gentle touch eased his pain. A strange golden light was filling the room and she knew it was from the five-point star on her own forehead. Coldness overcame her body. Voldemort was near, and his plans were coming together quickly. The girl moaned softly once again before working quickly to sever her sensitive connections to the darkness that was growing.

When the last strand was cut she managed to breathe a sigh of relief, the light from her mark fading as she slowly made it disappear. Her ragged breathing seemed to fill the room as she weakly sat up.

Ron and Harry each grabbed an arm and yanked, carefully supporting her until she found her feet. Professor Trelawney frowned, though out of confusion or frustration or something else Alex wasn't sure. "My dear boys, if you could please escort this dear girl to the infirmary I would greatly appreciate it," she murmured. The two nodded, thankful to get out of the class.

"What the heck WAS that?" Ron inquired.

Harry glanced at Alex, who seemed in no mood to answer questions as she focused on making her way down the stairs without collapsing. "It was Voldemort," he told his friend, who shuddered at the name.

"Are you guys sure? I mean, nothing strange has been happening recently…" Ron said doubtfully.

"It was him," Alex said firmly. "But it's okay…"

Ron paled. "This isn't good. Harry, after we drop Alex off to Madame Pomfrey we should go see Dumbledore!"

"I already did," Alex informed him, finally reaching the main part of the school. "He's taking care of it." Ron and Harry gaped at her as they reached the Infirmary ward.

"Why didn't you tell us this?!" Harry demanded.

"Look, guys, it's nothing bad. Just a few nightmares, nothing to worry over," she assured her friends. She turned and entered the room. After she explained to Madame Pomfrey what happened, she watched the woman head into her office leaving only the orders to rest before she fell back onto the bed with a sigh. "This is going to be a LONG afternoon."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By now Alex was screaming curses in her head. Madame Pomfrey hadn't allowed her to see the Weasleys when they came, and she wasn't allowed to leave the Infirmary ward until dinner started. So now the blonde was racing to Gryffindor tower to change and try to eat some of the dinner before she had to go 'backstage' – leaving dinner early, of course – to warm up her voice and get ready to sing. Her dorm room's door opened under her frantic magic and slammed shut behind her. She breathed slowly, attempting to calm her heartbeat as she dug carefully through her trunk. At the bottom of it she found what she was looking for.

The blonde gently pulled out the gown she used in place of dress robes. It was a pure white dress that shimmered in the light and swept the floor when she put it on. She smoothed the loose skirt and straightened the straps used for sleeves before she grabbed her hairbrush. Alex combed her hair until it shone, pulling the top layer into a braid while the rest fell to her shoulders. Now satisfied with her appearance she made her way to the Great Hall.

When she entered the large room, she realized just how similar the Great Hall was to the ball during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Blue eyes scanned the room for the table she would share with the Weasleys and her friends. When she spotted it she was surprised and confused to realize that she didn't recognize one of the occupants.

"Hey," she greeted softly as she joined the table, slipping into the open seat. "Sorry I'm late."

"'S no problem," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of food. Immediately Hermione and Mrs. Weasley started berating him for it, much to the blonde's amusement. Looking around again, she saw Bill engaged in a conversation with Mr. Granger, while Mrs. Granger and Mr. Weasley talked. Charlie and the male she didn't know – she suspected he was an elf from his slightly pointed ears and beauty. He had pale blonde hair and startling brown eyes. Malachi seemed to be the only one who noticed her, since Harry and Draco were making eyes at each other and Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny weren't present.

"How have you been?" she inquired after she ordered her food. It appeared magically on her plate and she started eating as Malachi responded.

"Fine. From what I hear it was you who hasn't been doing so well," he replied.

"It was nothing," she dismissed easily. Malachi looked about to argue with that, but all protests were cut off by Professor Trelawney.

"Professor Dumbledore, I must sit here!" she declared. "Look! This table seats thirteen! The first one who rises will die."

Alex looked up at the teacher and the slightly harried looking Dumbledore. "I have a seat for you at the head table, Sibyll, there's plenty of room there."

"But Professor -- !" Trelawney protested.

"Professor, you don't have to worry about the table members," the blonde murmured. "I'll be the first one leaving."

The silence that followed that statement was uncomfortable, and in it Dumbledore led the Divination teacher to the head table. Alex continued eating when Malachi said nothing, stopping only when he asked, "Tell me, have you met the Elven prince?" Alex shook her head and Malachi rose. "Let me get him for you then. He's a very interesting person."

"Cool," the fifteen-year-old replied. The vampire nodded and left the table, while Alex ate quickly, knowing that she would soon have to leave to warm up. When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned and stood.

"Alex, this is Taren Keigo. Keigo, this is Alexandra Star," Malachi introduced. Intense storm blue eyes bore into the blonde's. A sense of déjà vu from this person she had never met overwhelmed her. Her eyes examined his tall, muscular frame and dark hair as she silently wondered, _If I've never met him how can I *KNOW* I know him?_

TO BE CONTINUED…

AN: ^_^ . Short, I know. But I can be *SO* evil. By the way, Teran means prince in some form of Elvish. Ja!


	8. Death -- 8

Disclaimer: Refer to disclaimer. As for the songs, I don't own them. One, The Last Battle, is sung by Heather Alexander and is owned by her and who knows who else. The second, Ai wo Shinjiteru, or I Believe in Our Love, is 'sung' in the translation form, not the original Japanese (don't worry, I wouldn't make you sit through THAT!). It's from the Japanese anime Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, which is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and many others, along with the singer. That song isn't entirely in order because I wanted you to be able to read the good parts, but not have to read the whole thing. (You'll understand when you read the fic.) If you want the original lyrics and translation, you can go to http://www.lyricmoon.org/lyrics/shinjite3.html .

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 8/9 

"Um… 'Quel re," Alex said after a moment, still feeling shaky. The aura around this man was *SO* familiar…. He smiled.

"Actually it's 'Quel undome – good evening, not good day," he corrected gently in a lilting accent. "But I'm very impressed, Cel -- Ms. Star."

"Please, call me Alex," the blonde said, bowing slightly in an awkward manner.

"Then you must also call me Keigo," the raven-haired elf insisted. A slight blush crept across the blonde's cheeks before she forced it away.

"Thank you. But I'm afraid, Keigo-sama, that I have to say goodbye to my friends. I have to go and get ready."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he murmured, intense blue eyes watching her.

"Well, it was nice to meet you!" she said, praying her voice sounded cheerful before turning her attention to the members of the table. She murmured her goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley first, getting pulled into a tight hug by the latter. She said a formal goodbye to Bill and Charlie, who also hugged her affectionately before shaking hands with Mr. and Mrs. Granger and beginning a quick talk with her friends.

"Why are you saying goodbye, Alex?" Hermione inquired.

"Yeah, you're acting like you'll never see us again!" Ron exclaimed, still ecstatic because Hermione was his date.

"You're just singing," Harry added. Draco had a tight arm around his boyfriend's shoulder, which Alex noticed tightened even further as they talked.

"Right," Alex agreed softly. "But… You know…" She looked away, not brave enough to look her friends in the eye. "Just… in case something happens…"

Hermione frowned in confusion that Ron clearly displayed, while Harry looked only mildly puzzled and Draco held his usual mask of indifference. "Whatever, Star," he said roughly. "Get out of here, or you'll be late to your own performance." Alex blinked back tears and quickly pulled the two boys into a brief hug, also giving one to Ron and Hermione.

"Take care…" she murmured faintly as she left. Her heart tore as she left, a part of her knowing that, assuming she survived the night, nothing would be the same between them. She met Professor Dumbledore outside the Great Hall.

"Are you ready?" he inquired, smiling weakly at her. Alex nodded, her throat tight with emotion.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she whispered. "And you?"

"The same, I suppose," he replied. "And thank you again for volunteering for this, Alexandra. This way we have enough power to attract Voldemort, but we don't risk more people than necessary." Alex nodded her understanding, saying nothing.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore said. "I'd better go announce you."

"Thank you," she whispered softly. She was silent as she heard him silence the hall and proclaim her as the singer for the night, and she walked on to the stage created for her praying that her worry was hidden behind her happy mask.

"She's so much like Celeste," Keigo breathed to Malachi.

"Isn't she? They think almost exactly alike." The vampire was silent. "Keigo, you have to remember she's too young for you. "

"Believe me I know."

"Keigo, you may be her soul mate but did you even stop to consider that falling in love isn't in her plans right now?"

"Malachi…" the raven-haired elf growled warningly. "I love Celeste! I have since the beginning, since I met her…"

"In Bain, over ten thousand years ago. But she hasn't existed for those ten thousand years." Seeing Keigo's angry look, Malachi added, "I'm not questioning your love for Celeste. Or even Aileen, Michelle, and Raisa. But if you truly loved her, Keigo, you'd give your immortality up. Fate may have a twisted sense of humor, but she wouldn't be so cruel as to not allow you to be reborn so you could live your lives together."

"Don't you think I offered?" he snapped back. "Don't you think I was hurt when she refused and then DIED?!"

The vampire stood in stony silence. "We missed Alex's speech," he murmured softly. "Why don't we actually listen to her songs?"

"This first song is for – dedicated to, whatever – to the elves. I hope you like it." So saying, Alex took a deep breath and began to sing.

***

"Within the hill, the hollow hill the night wind seems to moan,  
For empty stands the Elven hall and I dwelt here alone,  
Alone to wait, alone to watch,

The weary seasons pass,  
To watch our magic fade away as fragile as spun glass,  
I would not battle for myself the toll claimed by the years,  
My heart's song echoed note for note the falling of my tears."

  
***

Ron gaped, as did Hermione before she realized what she was doing and stopped. When Ron didn't, she forcibly closed his mouth. "Did you guys know she could sing this well?"

Harry shook his head in shock, while Draco did nothing, still attempting to figure his friend out.

***

" And is there yet a child of man above the hollow hill?  
Who hears my song and heeds my words and harks to magic still?  
Is there a mortal anywhere who longs for wonder yet?  
Or have they all forgotten those who never can forget?" 

"One evening when the stars above the hill were diamond bright,  
And all the woods were silvered by the full moon's gentle light,  
I took my harp and left the hall to play where wind blew free,  
When out among the shadows there approached me mortals three,  
They saw me and they heard me and came to me unafraid,  
Of years took child and grown were they,  
These two youths and a maid."

***

  
Malachi remembered with startling clarity the day he had met Celeste and her two brothers. All three had approached him easily, even though they must have known immediately that he was a vampire by his aura. Not one of them had even shown the fear common around vampires, or even the distrust that those who weren't afraid of the undead race experienced.

***

  
"Temptation came to lure them in and yet I staid my hand,  
For mortals often pine away when held in Elven lands,  
And so I only smiled at them and held them with my song,  
To give me treasured memories when the years grew cold and long,  
And then in kindness took their hands and sent them on their way,  
Bewitched their minds quite clean of me and vanished with the day.

  
All magic fades these latter days hemmed in by iron cold,  
Yes even magic such as mine whose roots are deep and old,  
It were no kindness to these three to keep them by my side,  
To let the slowly fade with me for loneliness and pride,  
And so, I let them go and only cast on them the spell,  
To let me look into their lives to see them safe and well."

***

Alex felt sick. She could feel the soldiers assembling, getting ready to apparate to Hogsmeade and then travel to Hogwarts. Her limbs started trembling and she had to force them to stop and keep that same quivering from her voice.

***

"But not content with that tonight I thought to look ahead,  
and saw them slain so uselessly by parent's strife struck dead,  
It came to me to know then that they need not die by hate,  
That I might with my magic battle to avert their fate,  
That I could bring them back this night to dwell within my hall,  
So now against hate, iron, and death I go to pit my call.

I call you now who came to me above my hollow hill,  
Now hear my song and heed my words and harken to me still,  
I call by star and melody, by love and magic bright,  
So come with me and bide with me,  
I fight for you this night." * ** Slowly dancers stopped dancing as Alex murmured, still heard in her magically raised voice, " 'I fight for you this night,' minna-san -- everyone. Don't let it go to waste." For another slightly awkward moment she was silent, swallowing as she sensed Voldemort's troops coming closer to the school. "This next song was originally a Japanese song, but I'll be singing the translation for you. Its original title was 'Ai wo Shinjiteru,' or 'I believe in our love.' Um… I hope you like it." *** 

"As the heavens unfold, my infinite wings are,

Bathed in light and now I fly,

Off to tomorrow.

Please can I bury my face in your chest,

Please just for a while,

Look at me acting like a little girl,

I'm becoming such a coward."

***

Alex swallowed convulsively again in fear, once again attempting to ease her shaking as the Death Eaters started creeping through the Forbidden Forest.

***

" Although to forgive this cruelness would be unforgivable,

So now I turn my eyes towards,

Justice.

Silver Moon Crystal Power,

Please give me courage,

To continue fighting,

And believe in my proof of love."

***

Alex felt so alone, lost in a crowd of couples: Ron and Hermione, Draco and Harry, and all the dancing people on the floor. People she recognized from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were chatting in pairs, along with the few centaurs that were willing to come. Even the teachers seemed to have paired off, and yet it was *SHE*, the single one, singing of love.

***

"If anyone,

Were to die I wouldn't forgive myself,

I'm raising my face towards,

Justice."

***

That was why Alex picked the song, if only for those few words, knowing they expressed her feelings and wondering if anyone else would pick up on the subtle message. _If anyone were to die tonight I wouldn't forgive myself…_

***

"Believe in our dreams,

Believe in everyone,

With wings filled,

Full of courage.

Silver Moon Crystal Power,

No one should be alone,

So I continue fighting,

And believe my reason for loving."

***

__

No one should be alone, yet here I am, the blonde thought to herself. _And for something that has never existed for me I will fight to the death… Imagine…_

***

"I'm alone but still,

I ascend into the heavens,

With wings filled,

Bathed in power."

***

The troops were now in sight of – and spell range of – the dragons. As one of the leading cloaked figures chanted a spell Alex used her magic to spread the guarding dragons wings and force them to fly high into the clear night sky, wrapping a spell around them to take them home. Voldemort, cloaked in robes of the deepest black and an uncovered face, led his Death Eaters into the castle.

***

" Your heart and your beloved voice,

Though apart, I continue to fight on.

Believe in our love,

Destiny bonded us,

For millions of years we'll cross time together,

These mysterious miracles,

Are now tied to my heart."

***

Before Alex could continue the song the large, heavy wooden doors to the Great Hall burst open, revealing Voldemort and his fifty Death Eaters along with Dementors flanking each side. Screams erupted in the hall, echoing in the large space as people, centaurs, and elves started running.

"Stop." Voldemort's cold, merciless voice froze everyone in his or her paths. "Or this boy will die." Only then did the people realize that he held a terrified and crying three-year-old boy by the neck.

One woman screamed, presumably the mother. "Let him go, Voldemort," Professor Dumbledore ordered, standing in front of a thin gray line that had appeared, separating the wizards and witches from the Death Eaters. The other man laughed, high, cold, and mirthless.

"You think I fear you, Dumbledore?" he asked tauntingly. "You think you are more powerful than I?" He muttered a spell, and a green light shot out of his wand. It hit the line and shattered it, breaking the protective barrier. "Now I can kill any one of your people, Dumbledore. How do you feel about that?"

Alex dodged the outstretched hand of Professor McGonagall and slipped in front of the Headmaster. "If not from fear of Professor Dumbledore, then from fear of me," she replied. Sound rushed in her ears and power gathered. A silver wall rose to the ceiling, effectively protecting the partygoers. "Give him to me!"

"Why would I have a fear of my daughter?" Gasps rose in the hall and loud whisperings began.

"I am *NOT* your daughter! You're creation, maybe, but don't confuse the two!" Anger flowed through the blonde's body as she twisted a strand of magic and yanked the boy to her with it. In an instant he was being held tightly in her protective embrace.

"Do nothing unless I order you to," Voldemort told his Death Eaters.

She whispered softly into the boy's ear, calming him even as she kept her eyes on Voldemort. Backing up slowly, she extended one hand backward to find the closest wall. When her hand bumped into it she winced in pain as the powerful electricity rejected her body, though she carefully shifted the magic to allow a small portal big enough for the little boy to walk through to appear. Gently she set him down, making sure to keep her eyes on the dark wizard in front of her and to keep one hand one the magical wall. "Walk through that hole and to your Mommy, ok? I promise I'll keep you safe."

The chubby little boy nodded and walked unstably through the opening. The moment he was through she moved away from it. "Ready?" Voldemort asked lazily, almost as though he had waited for hours instead of seconds.

Alex opened her mouth, then shut it. "I'm a pacifist," she said tersely.

"This is war, whether you're a pacifist or not doesn't matter."

Swallowing her fear once again, she called the wind. "Aquilo!" The wind whipped around her head and blew her hair around. _Wind._

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort returned. Alex dodged the spell, allowing it to hit the silver wall of power and dissipate.

"Kaiyou," the blonde ordered in a deadly whisper. Water surged around her body, enveloping her before she pushed it out to drench and even shoved down some of the Death Eaters. _Water. _Immediately she called upon the trees, forcing large roots to explode from the ground and trap the robed people. She felt her energy draining, slowing her physical and magical reflexes, which was why she couldn't dodge the powerful spell that hurled her into the air and slammed her into the silver electric wall.

The girl screamed in pain, feeling nothing but her frying nerves. After a few moments the wall dropped her, allowing her to crash to the floor. As Voldemort approached her, ignoring his bound warriors, he smirked. His smile grew as he lifted her arm and dropped it. Teachers were physically holding back Draco, Harry, and Ron, while Hermione stood in shocked silence before needing *two* teachers to hold her back.

Ignoring his surroundings, Voldemort touched the tip of his wand to the young girl's inner right arm.

Alex awoke to pain beginning to burn on her arm. She weakly opened her eyes, and screamed while she pulled back when she realized what was happening to her. The darkness creeping out of the powerful wand was dragged into an unusual shape as she pulled back, forever distorting the Dark Mark scorched onto her arm. Blood started to well from the new wound.

She shoved both her arms forward as she sat up, and a large burst of power sent Voldemort flying back. As Alex stood, her legs trembled with weakness. _Guys,_ she said weakly into the minds of Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Harry, _could you please lend me some power?_

She sensed their instant agreement, which was hand in hand with their confusion. _How are we supposed to do that?_ Ron wondered inside his head.

__

Just trust me, she told her friends. With her mind she reached out and brushed theirs, individually and slowly. In a moment brown energy radiated from the roots binding the Death Eaters. A rusty red weaved into the silver of the wall, and a green-and-silver tinted envelope materialized in Harry's hand.

Alex breathed in deeply as she gathered power. The energy gathered in her hands, which were over her head, growing into an increasingly larger ball of silvery-gold. The blonde drew the power from her toes, making sure she got every drop along the way to her fingertips, from her heart, and finally drawing it from her mind. When she pulled her arms back down so they were in front of her, she felt herself hovering on the edge of life and death. With the small amount of remaining energy she had left, the energy keeping her alive, she pulled the slightest amount of Draco's energy to her and used the silvery green strand of energy to shove the ball of power to the now-standing Voldemort.

__

Goodbye, she thought sadly, feeling herself die even as she watched her power hit Voldemort and explode. The sound resonated through the Great Hall, and the heat from the explosion flowed over her body, creating large patches of burns as she was tossed back like a rag doll.

Sensing, somehow, Voldemort's death, Alex released her grip on life. Her energy had left the shields and the roots, which were now entirely dependent on the blonde's four friends, who trembled in shock and disbelief as they watched their friend's body go limp.

TO BE CONTINUED…

One last chapter! Then we get to see how everyone takes Alex's death. ^_^

Please review and tell me what you think! Or e-mail me. Once again, my e-mail address is princessofplanets@hotmail.com . I'd really appreciate any feedback. (Even flames.)


	9. The End of Magic -- 9

Refer to previous chapter and the beginning for disclaimers.

Shades Of Gray

By princessofplanets

E-mail: princessofplanets@hotmail.com

Part 9 / 9 (STAY TUNED FOR THE SEQUEL!)

Harry stood in shock, not willing to understand what happened. Beside him Draco had his fists clenched so tightly his nails drew blood. The silence was punctured by Hermione beginning to cry softly. While Ron attempted to soothe her, Malachi and Keigo slammed into the wall, finding it solid.

"How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?" the elf demanded, his eyes never straying from Alex's body.

Malachi was silent, studying the power with a blank expression. "The silver's left it," he commented softly. "That means that someone here is powering it. Someone with red magic."

Harry glanced down at the envelope in his hand, which had appeared there just before Alex had gathered the power to destroy Voldemort. He turned it over carefully, breaking the white seal.

Harry,

I'm giving this to you because it was with your power that this letter could be created. If you could share the important parts with everyone else, I'd really appreciate it.

First, I know that since you're reading this, I'm dead. It's strange how used to the idea I am, but after almost waiting for it for the past two months, I'm sure death is a blessing. *DON'T BLAME YOURSELF!* Harry Potter, I know you too well to think that you won't. You know, one thing I noticed before... well, you know... was that you're energy and Draco's are intertwined. I bet you didn't notice that, did you? Green and silver...

Draco... What can I say to someone who almost knows me better than I do? I trust you'll handle this, because I trust you. Thank you so much for these past years of friendship. They mean SO much to me, and it was very comforting knowing that if I ever needed it I would have a shoulder to cry on. You helped me launch the killing blow to Voldemort -- in case you were wondering.

Ron, all I can say to you is that I wish you luck getting away from your brothers! ^_^ . Seriously, though, I know you always compare yourself to them somewhere, even if it's deep down. You're a GREAT person by yourself, you just have to forget about spotlights every once in a while. Who cares if not everyone in school knows your name? Would you really want them to? Think about it. When you touch the shield, it will disappear.

Hermione, thanks for being you. For being someone I could study with, for being someone I could wake up in the middle of the night (even if we had a test the next day...), and most of all for being someone I could talk to no matter what. Though I may not have used that last one for the past few months, it's definitely one of the things I admire most about you. PLEASE, never lose your ability to listen. When you touch the roots, they'll disappear. (Do it once the magical police people -- ^_^ --, or people from Azkaban, whatever, get there.) Touch the roots binding each person as their ready to be taken away.

Professor Dumbledore, I'd like to ask you to take care of all my stuff. As I've never been to a will reading, I don't really know what they're like, but I've put a lot of thought into what I want to do with my things. As for the actual stuff, I'd like that to be donated to wherever wants it, as I don't know much about magical donation stuff. I'd like three-eighths of my bank account to go to the Weasleys, who've been like family to me, one-eighth to each: Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione. The last eighth can be given to another good cause, I guess... Maybe the House Elf Liberation Front... eh, Hermione? ^_^

Guys, I came to the dance tonight expecting to die. A part of me knew that Professor Dumbledore's shield thing wouldn't work, and another part of me that Voldemort's only fear now was me... His own creation... I did this for you. While I'm not sure I should say that, because I'm afraid you'll blame yourselves, it's the truth. I wanted Harry and Draco and Ron and Hermione to have a future together, even if it wasn't 'together'. You're my friends. And to quote Ai wo Shinjiteru again, "Dare mo / Shini yuku koto yurusanai kara," or "If anyone / were to die I wouldn't forgive myself."

I'm not the type who could live with it if I were the one to live because someone died to save me. Maybe that's just cowardice, and I suppose in a way it is. And, to quote the Vulcans (Ron, I don't expect you to understand this, but Draco is a secret sci-fi addict ^_^ ) "Live long and prosper." I'm sure we'll see each other again SOMEDAY! Sayonara…*

Sincerely, Alex

Harry froze as he read it. Rescanning it quickly, he said in a somewhat choked voice, "Hey, Ron, could you please touch the shield-thingy? It should disappear then." The red-haired teenager looked at him like he was crazy, though he shrugged and complied. His jaw dropped when the wall did before he turned to Harry in utter confusion.

Immediately Keigo, Malachi, Madame Pomfrey, Draco, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore rushed forward to the fallen girl. Malachi had to firmly hold the frantic elf back, though he did it easily while Madame Pomfrey examined her. "She's dead," she murmured softly. She stepped back as the vampire released Keigo. The raven-haired man rushed towards her, pushing himself into the inner circle. Draco glared at him as he reached out and grabbed her cold hand, pressing it tightly to his chest. Then the silvery-haired blonde froze as he saw his friend's chest rise and fall weakly as she *_breathed_*.

Draco's arms, which had been tightly holding Harry to him, loosened in disbelief. Hermione's eyes were wide in an almost fear-like way, while Ron still hadn't moved from his position with his face buried in the genius's hair. "Is it possible?" she whispered.

"Dray?" Harry asked softly. "Are you okay?" His lover's body had become even more tense since they had sat near her.

"Look!" he whispered fiercely in response. As the raven-haired teenager followed his gaze, he gaped discovering his other friend's breathing.

"MADAME POMFREY!" he screamed, calling the witch over in a hurry.

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__

It's amazing how normal things can get, Harry thought to himself as he glanced up from his Charms homework. He was doing it in the Hospital wing with Draco as usual, where Alex's still form had lay for almost seven months with no change in her coma-like condition. Both boys' heads shot up as they heard yelling moving toward the door.

"Albus, you have had this girl here for far too long! She's taking up valuable bed space! Think of all the injured students that could be here in her place!" Harry recognized the voice of Cornelius Fudge easily, and could picture his angry purple face with the same ease. He rolled his eyes at his comment, however; all the other beds in the Hospital wing were open. The door opened as Fudge stormed into the room.

Alex lifted her eyelids slightly, though even that small task seemed like attempting to lift boulders. Her already pounding headache grew as she heard the Minister of Magic and the Headmaster argue. _Am I dead?_ she asked herself. _No,_ she decided almost immediately as she lifted her arm slightly. _Not even hell would hurt this much._

"This girl killed Voldemort! She's a hero!"

"Harry defeated Voldemort almost fifteen years ago!"

A moan escaped her choked voice as the blonde attempted to rise, pain shooting through her body. "Alex!" The younger of the two fifteen-year-olds hurled at her, slamming her body once again into the mattress. The girl managed to smother the whimper of agony, but she couldn't keep her body from tensing.

"Oh my God, you're all right!" Harry murmured in her ear as he hugged her tighter. "I don't believe it!"

"Star, you're stealing my boyfriend from me!" Draco said hoarsely. When Harry backed off he stepped forward slowly. "He's mine, you know." Alex smiled weakly as he came over and gave her a gentle hug.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered. _More than you could imagine._ She refused the urge to look longingly in the Gryffindor seeker's direction, knowing Draco's quick eyes would catch the look. Just then, Ron and Hermione burst into the room.

"ALEX!"

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Alex shifted uncomfortably in the hard seat of the train. Her friends were caught up in each other's eyes, none noticing her discomfort. After a month of coddling, the blonde had had enough and had forcibly told her friends that she was fine before the end of the year celebration. She had been distinctly aware of the whisperings and the people avoiding her in the hallways like the plague, both of which her friends attempted to protect her from. And now that she had come to her decision, she was unaware as to how to break the news to her friends. She contemplated the idea on the seemingly long ride back to London, saying nothing even as the group of five gathered their trunks and disembarked off the train.

"See you guys next fall!" Hermione said cheerfully, pulling Alex into a reluctant hug as she pecked each boy quickly on the cheek.

"Harry, you're coming to my house later this summer, right?" Ron inquired.

"Definitely!" he agreed with a grin.

"Great, then we'll – "

"Guys, it'll be goodbye for more than the summer," Alex said quickly, pushing out the words before she became too cowardly to say them.

"What?" Hermione asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Ron inquired with a furrowed brow.

"Alex…"

"I'm not coming back next year," the blonde said, her quiet voice filling the silence after Harry said her name. "I'm leaving Hogwarts."

"Why?" Hermione questioned.

"Hermione… I _killed_ someone! I… I can't just come back like nothing happened." She sighed. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Plus I finally have a chance to travel!"

"Can you do that?" Ron asked with disbelief.

"I can and did." She added as an afterthought, "And will."

"Alex, you can't go!" Draco protested softly. "Who'll help me with my Transfiguration homework? Who'll help me tell my mother I'm gay?"

"Harry and everyone can help you with that," she murmured softly. "You don't need me, Draco."

"Yes, I – "

"GET OVER HERE, BOY!" The silvery-blonde haired boy was cut off by Vernon Dursley's shout. "DON'T MAKE US LATE FOR DINNER!"

"Hermione," Mrs. Granger said in her gentle voice. She stared at Alex for a moment in discomfort, pulling her daughter away from her slightly, making the blonde girl wince. "Honey, we're ready to go. We have your trunk all packed. We should be going now."

"Ron!" Mr. Weasley called. He beckoned his son over to him. "We're just waiting on you, come on!"

"Master Draco, sir, Mistress Malfoy, sir, she is waiting for you she is, sir." A house elf bowed nervously in front of Draco, glancing back at a tall, cold woman. When Harry glanced at him he shook his head sorrowfully.

"Damn you, Alexandra Star," he whispered in her ear as he pulled her into a hug. "How dare you leave?" Not giving her a chance to reply he released her and started walking off toward his mother.

Harry flinched as he heard his uncle bellow again. "Bye, Alex," he murmured as he pecked her lightly on the cheek. "I hope wherever you are you're happy." Nodding to her quickly, he rushed off, dragging his trunk and Hedwig behind him.

Hermione pulled her into a tighter hug than before. "Whatever you do, be happy," she agreed with the seeker. She pulled away quickly, sensing the blonde's discomfort as she turned to leave with her mother. "AND WRITE!"

Ron shook her hand awkwardly. "Enjoy wherever you go."

"Thanks," she murmured, tightening her grip on his hand. "I really appreciate it, Ron. You've been a great friend."

"Thanks." His dad called him once again, and Ron turned to leave. "Come back and visit sometime, Alex. You'll always be welcome at our house, no matter how short the notice."

Tears formed in her eyes, though she quickly blinked them away as her last friend left her. There, standing alone in the middle of a muggle train station, Alex Star cut her last bonds to the wizarding world.

~*OWARI*~

~*END*~

You know, I don't even like elves. *Stops and considers this.* I think I only made Keigo one so that he could be immortal and that would produce more conflict for Keigo and Celeste. Hmm… I've got to tell Angel (my particularly sick-minded friend) that she and my other friend, Lee-chan (you can read some of her poetry and LotR under Lee-chan) aren't allowed to talk about Legolas anymore. They're affecting me subconsciously. I'm already adding a form of elves into my book for a short period to make them happy… *SIGH!*

Also if you want to read a creative writing piece (meaning original work) my friend Spirit-of-Magic has good work. He isn't very far into his story, but I've heard the basic story/plot line and it sounds good.

* Sayonara, for those of you who have been misinformed about Japanese, when used between close friends is an extremely heartfelt term because it's saying goodbye. That particular form of goodbye is also saying that you don't expect to see the person again, or if you do it won't be for a long, long time. Saying things like 'Ja' or 'Ja ne' is similar to saying 'bye' or 'see you later'.

Also the Japanese vowels are pronounced differently. A equals ah, e equals a (as in f**a**de), i equals e as in need, o is pretty much the same, and u is oo as in food, ex. Oo-sah-gee is Usagi, which means rabbit. ^_^ .


	10. Disclaimer

THE DISCLAIMER:

I own nothing but the story and Malachi, Alex, and Keigo. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling unless stated otherwise.


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